The Yeerk Invasion #1 - The Unexpected
by Aprilyn
Summary: The Animorphs didn't even count on one newcomer, and especially didn't expect two!


****

The Unexpected  
by, Young Grasshopper (08/26/1999)

_Jake, Marco, Tobias, Cassie, Rachel, and Ax have found the blue box that has given them their morphing abilities. The problem is Ax thinks there may be more. When the Yeerks annihilated Elfangor's ship with the dracon beams, the morphing cube was blown into little bits. Three of the bits regenerated, and the others dissolved.   
The Animorphs have one of the three morphing cubes. David, still a rat, has the other. And they're is still one more out there.   
Marco has a new girlfriend, Madeline. Madeline has been made into an Animorph. So now there are six Animorphs. Or so they think. David has made another Animorph out of a girl called Annie. And David has made up nasty tales about the Animorphs and Andalites.   
And they still have to deal with Madeline . . . _****

Table Of Contents   
Madeline's Introduction   
Annie's Introduction   
Chapter 1 (Madeline)   
Chapter 2 (David)   
Chapter 3 (Marco)   
Chapter 4 (Madeline)   
Chapter 5 (Jake)   
Chapter 6 (Madeline)   
Chapter 7 (Tobias)   
Chapter 8 (Marco)   
Chapter 9 (Cassie)   
Chapter 10 (Tobias)   
Chapter 11 (Rachel)   
Chapter 12 (Rachel)   
Chapter 13 (Marco)   
Chapter 14 (Jake)   
Chapter 15 (Madeline)   
Chapter 16 (Cassie) 

* * *

**Madeline's Introduction**   
  
My name is Madeline.   
  
Mad-ah-lynn. Not Mad-ah-line. A lot of people pronounce my name wrong.   
  
It's just Madeline. I can't tell you my last name, it's too risky.   
  
I can't tell you where I live either. It's just a little town. No one would suspect it was the center of an alien invasion.   
  
You see we live in a totally bizarre universe. Humans aren't the only creatures. There are aliens out there. The Andalites, Gedds, Taxxons, Hork-Bajir, and Yeerks.   
  
Earth is being invaded by Yeerks.   
  
Sounds paranoid, huh? I didn't believe any of it either. But in the past few months my life had changed.   
  
Yeerks are this parasitic species of aliens that crawl through your ear and into your brain. They wrap themselves around your brain and sink into every tiny little crevice. Then they control you. Completely. Totally. They move your arms and legs, they control where you look, they even control what you say. They read your thoughts and memories like you read a book. You have no secrets from a Yeerk in your head.   
  
Human-Controllers.   
  
That's what we call humans with a Yeerk in their head. Hork-Bajir with a Yeerk in their heads are called Hork-Bajir-Controllers, Taxxons are Taxxon-Controllers, and, well, you get the message.  
  
The whole race of Hork-Bajir and Gedds have been enslaved. The Taxxons are voluntary Controllers. Can you believe that? Voluntary. And now thousands maybe millions of humans have been made into human-Controllers. But there's only one Andalite-Controller. But I'll get into that later.   
  
It's terrible being a Controller. Trust me. I know from first hand-experience.   
  
Jake's brother Tom is one of them.   
  
A Controller.   
  
Marco's mom is one of them too. In fact, Marco's mom has the host body for Visser One, the highest-ranking Yeerk. The leader of invasions.   
  
And Rachel's friend Melissa's parents are Controllers too.   
  
Chapman.   
  
That's Melissa's dad and our assistant principle.   
  
I never liked principles. When I learned Chapman was a voluntary Controller I hated him more. Then I learned that the only reason he became voluntary is so Melissa be left alone. Now, I think differently of him.   
  
Chapman's Yeerk, Innis-Two-Two-Six is high-ranking.   
  
But not as high as Visser Three.   
  
Visser Three leads the Yeerk invasion on Earth.   
  
Visser Three, the only Yeerk to ever to capture an Andalite body. The only Yeerk with the ability to morph.   
  
Andalites can morph. So can I. And Jake, Cassie, Rachel, Tobias, Marco, and of course Ax too. Ax is an Andalite. A young Andalite adolescent. That's how I like to think of him as. He's about our age in Andalite years.   
  
Ax's brother, Prince Elfangor the Andalite Warrior, has given my friends the power to morph. I never saw the guy. But the others tell me he was incredible. He's Tobias's father. But that's a different story.   
  
When I first moved here Marco was really nice (not to mention cute as well) and I became his friend. We started going together afterwards.   
  
Then I learned about the Yeerk invasion.   
  
Now I'm one of them. An Animorph. That's an animal morpher. They did this with a blue morphing cube. Now I can become any animal I acquire the DNA of. Any animal I touch. Yes, _become_ it.   
  
That's the only resistance Earth has against the Yeerk invasion. Just a bunch of kids who can morph, and an Andalite.   
  
Now you're scared right?   
  
Believe me, I am.   
  
There may be more morphing cubes out there. That's what we're all afraid of. When the Yeerks annihilated Elfangor's ship with the dragon beams, the morphing cube that gave my friends the power to morph was blown into little bits. Some of the bits have regenerated, and the others probably dissolved. When you morph you get this thing called "thought-speak". Thought-speak is kinda like e-mail, you can direct it to whoever you want to hear. This is only when your in morph. Unless your an Andalite.   
  
Andalites don't have mouths so they communicate through thought-speak. And because they don't have mouths they can't taste. When Ax is in his human morph, you don't ever wanna get between him and a cinnabon.   
  
Morphing has a downside to it. You can only stay in one morph for two hours max. After that, you get trapped as that animal.   
  
A nothlit.   
  
That's was we call a creature who's been trapped in morph. That's what Tobias is. A nothlit. Tobias is now a red-tailed hawk. He lives as a hawk, eats as a hawk, sleeps as a hawk, etc. But he got his morphing powers back from the powerful creature, the Ellimist. So Tobias can morph again, but he's still a hawk.   
  
So that's our gang, me, Marco, Jake, Cassie, Rachel, Tobias the hawk, and Ax the Andalite.   
  
Or so at least that's what we thought. 

* * *

**Annie's Introduction**  
  
My name is Annie.   
  
She had yelled at me again. My mom Loren, that is. And once again I threatened to leave. She said that I'd come back, I always do.   
  
Wrong, mother. Not this time, I thought silently. I've learned before. This time I'm leaving for good. I'm sick and tired of being neglected, of being blamed for things I didn't do, if being treated like dirt. I'm leaving this time, and it's for good. I'm in middle school, I can find my own ways to stay alive. Goodbye, mother.  
  
And that was true. I had left a note for her. But she probably threw it away. I'll bet she doesn't even care that I was gone. She probably hasn't noticed. Or she's happy, I'll bet she's throwing a ceremony for all her freinds.   
  
Or maybe just Alan.   
  
I could just hear her now, "Oh Alan! Isn't it wonderful that she's finally left for good!". And I could imagine Alan's response, "It sure is Loren. No more brat in our way."   
  
Yeah, that's it. She's probably happy.   
  
Oh, well. I don't need here anyway. I can get by just fine on my own! But I was starting to wonder who I was kidding. It was starting to rain hard and I was cold.   
  
No! I told myself firmly. You will not give in! You can't go running back! Even if it means pneumonia and certain death!   
  
BOOM! KRAA-  
  
Great! Now it was a thunder storm. I was just about to turn back when I saw it. A cave.  
  
It was _the_ perfect cave to hide in! Until the storm was over. Who knows? Maybe I could even make it my home! As long as it wasn't occupied by some grizzly bear or something.   
  
I ran to it. Right when I got inside I looked around. It was perfect!   
  
It was spacey, perhaps a two foot opening. But then inside the approximate dimensions were 15 feet with by 20 feet long. Rather large for a cave.   
  
Then I tensed up. I could of sworn I heard a noise. _Some bear does live here, Annie._ I told myself.   
  
I looked around to see if there really was one. There wasn't.   
  
Then I tripped.   
  
"Ouch!" I cried. I looked at me knee. Great, it was bleeding! Good thing I brought a first-aid kit. I took out the bandage and applied it to my injured knew.   
  
Only then did I get to see what I had tripped over.   
  
I was fasinated.   
  
I was some kind of a weird, blue, cube. And it had all these writings all over it. I started to pick it up.   
  
"Ahh!" I yelled. I wasn't hurt. It was just some radiation from the cube. "Dude!" I whispered. "This thing is totally cool."   
  
Then I heard it again. That sound. Maybe there was a bear but I had missed it.   
  
"Squeek, squeek!" something went. I looked down. Then I sighed I breath of relief. It was only a mere little mouse, or rat.   
  
"Hi! What a cute little rodent! You're so handsome, ya know!" I said to the mouse/rat.   
  
As in response it licked it's tiny little paws and appeared to be slicking it's whiskers back.   
  
"So weird." I said to myself. As by now you can see I like to talk to myself a lot. I get lonely, no siblings, no caring parents. Talking to myself is comforting.   
  
I reached over to pick up the cube again but the mouse/rat jumped on it.   
  
"Squeak, squeak!" it went again. Then when I reached over to take it it looked as if it were baring it's teeth.   
  
"Stop being paranoid, Annie." I said. "Squeak, squeak!" I reached over to take it again.   
  
The mouse/rat seemed to be spreading itself flat on the cube not letting me take it.   
  
"Squeak, squeak!" it said jumping on the cube, touching it with it's paw, then touching himself again. It was as if it was telling me that the cube was his.   
  
"No way," I said. "That's impossible"   
  
No it's not, Annie, a voice said.   
  
I looked at the mouse/rat not wanting to believe it.   
  
Yes, Annie. It's me the rat. David, the talking rat.  
  
Well, at least now I knew it was a rat and not a mouse. 

* * *

**Chapter 1**  
  
"Hi, my name is Madeline."   
  
I said to the really cute guy that was putting his books in the locker next to mine. I was gonna spend the rest of the school year next to the cutest boy in school! Maybe moving here wasn't so bad.   
  
"I'm Marco," he answered, "Welcome to our school! You're gonna hate it here. Looks like you'll be in the locker next to mine."   
  
I laughed. "Yeah, sure does."   
  
I stared at the guy that called himself Marco. Man was he cute! He had short black hair and dreamy brown eyes. He looked like he might be part Puerto-Rican. Maybe he was a little short but that's okay. He's bound to grow.   
  
I'm not that tall myself, maybe just 3 inches taller than Marco is. I've got blonde hair that's probably 3-5 inches past shoulder length. I'm trying to grow my bangs out so currently they're chin length. I've got caramel brown eyes. They're not really dark brown. They're light brown but not too light. They're caramel brown, the color of caramel.   
  
"Say, whose homeroom are you in?" Marco asked.   
  
I glanced down at my schedule. "Room 104, then I've got history, science, English, lunch break, then French, math, and PE"   
  
"Cool! I'm in the same homeroom as you! I've got English, and math with you as well. I'll walk you to class, but first lemme give you a tour of the school."   
  
"Sure," I replied. Wow! Marco was gonna show me around!   
  
"As we turn this way we have our locker rooms, if you ever smell something bad, you can be sure it came from there!"   
  
"He he." Dang, this guy was funny!   
  
"Then we've got the math room, the square root of X plus Y equals the diameter of the circumference of C times B squared . . . I think, I wasn't really paying attention," Marco said.   
  
"No, actually I think it was Z plus Y."   
  
"Good! I love a girl with a sense of humor!  
  
I don't know, I think I blushed, I sure hope no one noticed.   
BRING!   
  
"That's the warning bell," Marco said, "Come on, we'd better get to class."  
  
"Okay," I said, then I turned right.   
  
"Where're you going? Homeroom is the other way!"   
  
"Oh, sorry, big school ya know."   
  
"Uh-huh," Marco replied "Well, Come on."   
  
Bang!   
  
I crashed into somebody.   
  
"Jake! Watch it!" Marco said, "You're always so clumsy!"   
"Not as clumsy as you my friend," Jake said while picking his books and handing me mine.   
  
"Jake, meet Madeline, she's new here, she has the locker next to me. Madeline meet Jake, Jake's my best friend, that is if you don't count his feet." Marco introduced.   
  
"Hi Jake," I said.   
  
"Nice to meet you Madeline."   
  
I looked Jake over. He was taller than Marco. He had brown hair and brown eyes. He was pretty cute himself, but not as cute has Marco.   
  
He looked like he'd been up all night without any sleep. I looked over at Marco, he did too.   
  
"Jake, my buddy, you look horrible," Marco told him.   
  
"Gee, thanks Marco, ya think?" Jake replied.   
  
"Ya know Marco, you ain't looking that good yourself," I said to him.   
  
"Hey! Whose side are you on now? You'd better watch it, Madeline!" Marco laughed, "Besides, no one'll notice, I just happen to be the cutest guy around."   
  
So he knew he was cute.  
  
"Yeah, right, whatever Marco," Jake responded, then he turned to me and whispered, "Marco's got the biggest ego problem."   
  
"I heard that!" Marco said.   
  
"You guys look like you haven't gotten any sleep all night, what's up with that?" I asked.   
  
They looked at each other uncomfortably for a second. Then Jake said, "Well, there's this huge history paper due today, and we've been working on it all night."   
  
"But you'll probably be excused from it since you just moved here," Marco said quickly. Then as an afterthought he added, "Duh."   
  
I was just about to ask them why they hadn't finished it earlier when . . .   
  
BRING!   
  
That's when I noticed we were the only ones in the hall.   
  
"Oh great! We're gonna be late again!" Marco whined.   
  
"Sorry," I said feeling guilty.  
  
"It's not you're fault, Madeline, well . . . not _completely_," Marco answered as the three of us rushed down the hall to class.   
  
"Welcome Marco and Jake, late again, eh?" the teacher boomed.   
  
"Wah . . . we . . .we were just showing Madeline around the school," Marco said gesturing toward me.   
  
"Ah, yes. Madeline, the new girl," the teacher said, "Welcome Madeline, is what Marco said true?"   
  
I nodded. She was pronouncing my name wrong!  
  
"Well, you guys have a good excuse today. Madeline, you may take the seat right behind Marco. I expect you all to be working or reading. Madeline, do you have a book?"   
  
"Yes ma'am," I responded, "and may I make a comment?"   
  
"Go ahead."   
  
"Um . . . it's pronounced Made-lynn. As in Lynn. Not Made-line, with a line. It's Made-lynn." I corrected.   
  
"Oh, well thank you for bringing that to my attention, Madeline," she said correctly, "anything else?"   
  
I shook my head.   
  
"Then you make take a seat now and start reading."   
  
I slid behind Marco.   
  
I looked at the book I was reading, _Aliens Invading Earth_ by James Anderson. I had read it a thousand times, but I loved it. Alien invasions? They seemed so real when I was reading it, but I knew aliens didn't really exist. That stuff was just sci-fi, I loved sci-fi. 

* * *

**Chapter 2 (David)**  
  
My name is David.   
  
I'm a nothlit. A creature trapped in morph.   
  
I wasn't supposed to be, but these terrible creatures did this to be. Five kids with the ability to morph, and an alien Andalite. They call themselves the "Animorphs". And I was an Animorph too. For a brief period of time.  
  
But they had tricked me. All an evil trick. Then they had trapped me in a cage and sent to out to an island full of rocks. For me to stay. For me to live my life as a rat.   
  
And I will. I'll live the rest of my life was a rat.   
  
But I didn't stay on that island. I had escaped. It was to do with some rebellion Controllers conspiring at my island. I had escaped on one of those boats back to shore.   
  
And I was lucky to find this wonderful cave. I've been living here for a while. But what's more wonderful is what I found a few feet outside this cave.   
  
That blue box that gave me the power to morph. The one that Marco had tried to steal from me. Marco, my soul enemy. Along with all the Animorphs.   
  
I would get my revenge someday.   
  
And now, was the perfect opportunity.   
  
There was a girl right in front of me. I think her name is Annie. That's what she appears to be calling herself when she's talking.   
  
She had already found the blue morphing cube. So why not? I'd give her the power to morph and warn her about the Animorphs and Andalites!   
  
. . . "How can that be?" she asked me. "How can a rat talk?"   
  
Oh, I'm not a rat, I told her. I was once a normal human like you.   
  
"What happened?" she asked.   
  
Okay, if you'll believe me. Then I told her the story. I told her about the Yeerks and how they were taking over Earth.   
  
She looked at me in horror. "I believe you," she said. "But how did you become a rat? And is there anything to stop the Yeerks?"   
  
I smiled inside. I became a rat because I was trapped in this morph. I was given the power to morph. But longer than two hours and you get trapped. I was the only one fighting the Yeerks. But now there's no one. I am gone. I was trapped by these evil creatures siding with the Yeerks. They tried to make me believe they were fighting Yeerks. And I was a fool. Five Animorphs, kids that can morph, and an alien Andalite. They trapped me.   
  
"Oh my," she said. "That horrible! So there's nothing to stop the Yeerks?"   
  
No, there is one thing. I said. You. I could give you the morphing power. That cube I tried not to let you take can give you the ability. And you could stop the Andalites, Animorphs, and Yeerks. You can do it. Do you want to? "Of course," She whispered. "My chance to be a hero. I'll do it."   
  
And so I gave her instructions on how to get the power. And after she had gotten it I told her about how the Animorphs looked like. And where she might find them. I told her their school and about all the info I had known.   
  
Now, it's time for you to try out your first morph. I told her.  
  
"How will I get it?"   
  
I'm going to do something dangerous. I'm gonna lure in this bird. And you catch it. When you do concentrate on it. Think about it. You'll acquire it. After you've acquired it release it immediately. Then concentrate on it again. You'll fell the changes happening. When they stop you'll be a bird. I told her.  
  
"Cool," was all she said.   
  
I went outside and lured a bird in. She captured and acquired it. Then I turned away as she morphed. I almost forgot she couldn't morph clothes. I could hear hear bones grinding and her organs shifting.   
  
Uh, David the talking rat? I think I'm done now.   
  
I turned back around. She was done. Good. Now go find Jake at the place I said for you too. Remember, all of the human world depends on you! And come back after a week! I told her.  
  
I would of smiled if I could. _You lose in the end, Jake, after all._ I said to him silently after reviewing my evil plan.   
  
I watched Annie fly away clumsily.   
  
I was very pleased with myself. 

* * *

**Chapter 3 (Marco)**  
  
My name is Marco.   
  
You know the the drill. No last name. No place I live.   
  
We ran into Erek again.   
  
All of us. The Animorphs, I mean. In the woods. Coincidence, right? Wrong.   
  
And as usual it wasn't exactly an invitation to a pool party with some really hot girls. More like an invitation to a suicide party, with some really hot Yeerks. If Yeerks can even be "hot". Like I said, the usual.   
  
"Oh no!" I complained, "Not you again, Erek! You never have anything good to tell. And I just thought it might be a Yeerk-free day. You'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now."  
  
"Well," Erek said projecting the hologram of an innocent human boy. But underneath that hologram was a Chee. An Android. Kinda like a dog that walks on two legs. "It could be bad news. But it could be good news too. It really depends on the way you look at it."   
  
"Good news?" Jake said sounding very doubtful. "Good news, bad news, same difference with Erek."   
  
That got a laugh from us all.   
  
"So, Erek, what's up?" Rachel said sounding cheerful. Of course, that's Xena for you. Rachel lives for battle.   
  
"We found a couple of Yeerks. Aftran's friends." Erek said.   
  
At the mention of Aftran all of our eyes widened. You see, Aftran was a Yeerk traitor, I guess. A Yeerk that refused to enslave. A Yeerk that made peace with humans. A _nothlit_, she's now trapped in the body of a whale forever. It was her choice. Now she's free. It was best for everyone. "What about these Yeerks?" Cassie asked. Aftran and Cassie were pretty close.   
  
"They're still keeping up the Peace Act. They're planning a Yeerk rebellion." Erek responded, "They're going to rebel this Saturday. At a party The Sharing is holding."   
  
The Sharing. A front organization for the Yeerks. A place where the Yeerks constantly search for voluntary Controllers. They look for people with problems, and they convince them that becoming a Controller would rid those problems.   
  
I heard Jake groan.   
  
"Yes, Jake, Tom will be there of course." Erek said regretfully.   
  
Tom was Jake's brother. One of _them_, a Controller.   
  
"And what's worse is I heard he told Matt about it. And Matt thinks it'll be pretty cool."   
  
That made my blood run cold.   
  
Matt is Madeline's brother. Me and Madeline are kind of together. Well, not kind of, 'cause we are. There's no "kind of" about it. We'd been going out for a while now. I sure wished I could tell her the truth about me. To let her know I'm not some average old guy. That I'm an Animorph fighting the Yeerks and saving the world.   
  
Little did I know I'd soon get my wish.  
  
Matt's also Jake's friend. They have a lot in common, they were both basketball drop-outs. It's weird, 'cause I mean a Yeerk could care less. But then again the Yeerks know your memories. Tom would've liked Matt. And the Yeerk in his head knew that.   
  
That just totally sucks.   
  
So there will be a Yeerk rebellion at the meeting of The Sharing Saturday. Tobias said.   
  
"And we'll help out!" Rachel, of course. "Where is it?"   
  
"Only Rachel would be excited about getting killed, again." I stated.  
  
"It is at the beach." Erek informed, "There will be a barbecue, volleyball, you know, the regular stuff. Oh, and Visser Three will be there.  
  
Visser Three, Ax sneered. Ax hates Yeerks. Ax is an Andalite and Andalites hate Yeerks. Ax hates Visser Three more. All Andalites do, he's the only Yeerk with an Andalite body. But Ax has personal reason for hating him. Visser Three killed Elfangor, Ax's brother. The Elfangor that created the Animorphs. I don't blame him. I mean, I wouldn't mind seeing the guy chopped up myself. Ax's Andalite tail could do that easily. Erek continued, "These Controllers have been conspiring at an island. The island where David lives as a matter of fact." David is trapped as a rat. We all chose to do that. The alternatives were much worse. He was temporarily an Animorph. Let's just say things didn't exactly work out.   
  
"No, you don't think . . ." Cassie started to say but we all knew what she was thinking.   
  
"No, uh-uh. That can't be possible. There is no way David could of escaped, there's no way." Jake assured us.  
  
How wrong we were.   
  
"So we just morph to birds, go to the meeting of The Sharing, and help these rebellion Yeerks." Rachel stated, "Simple."   
  
"Yeah, simple my butt," I commented. "No," Jake said ignoring my remark, "We shouldn't let them know we're there. Let's just go there and check it out. See what's going on. No attacks, we just spy, got it?"   
  
"Yeah, I got it." Rachel, sounding disappointed.   
  
Yes, that's reasonable, Prince Jake. Ax said. Ax has this crazy idea that Jake's his prince.   
  
"Ax, don't call me prince" Jake said.   
  
Yes, Prince Jake.   
  
It's kinda like a game Ax and Jake play. I was just about to make some stupid remark when Cassie cut in getting to the point.   
  
"So, we morph to seagulls, since they won't stand out at all and we can keep together, spy on the Yeerks, and find out what's going on. No attacks. No surprises. No nothing. Right?"   
  
"Right." Jake agreed, "No nothing."   
  
Seagulls? Tobias asked.   
  
"Seagulls." I confirmed.   
  
Okay then, seagulls it is. Tobias said taking a deep breath, or what sounded like one in thought-speak. Seagulls are not exactly a hawks best friend. And as hard as it may be to except, Tobias was now a hawk.   
  
"Alright then, let's do it!" Rachel exclaimed.   
  
"You know, Rachel, normally I would feel something terrible if you said that. But this time it's not so bad. I mean, we're just checking the place out, what could go wrong?" I said while in my mind picturing a million things that could go wrong.   
  
And a million things did go wrong. 

* * *

**Chapter 4 (Madeline)**  
  
"So, where's this club you an Tom are going this weekend?" I asked my brother Matt. I guess you can say I had eavesdropped on him.   
  
"Madeline, were you spying on me again?" Matt asked sounding annoyed. Good, I was his little sister, I was born to annoy him.   
  
"Yes I was, now tell me about this club."   
  
"Okay, it's called The Sharing-," he started.  
  
"The Sharing? What a dumb name!"  
  
"You want me to continue or not? Matt asked, "From what Tom tells me it's really awesome. It's kinda like a coed boy scouts. But people any age can join. From little 5-yr-olds to 88-yr-olds. Tom says it helps people with thier problems. That's good 'cause I have a _huge_ problem with moving here. Even if it's been a while. Tom's a full member of The Sharing and he says it's a blast. There's going to be a meeting at the beach this Saturday. I'm gonna go with Tom. I might even join."   
  
"You're still having problems with moving here?" I asked, I guess I was a little concerned. I mean, sure he drives me crazy a lot, but he still is my brother. And a care for my brother.   
  
"Yeah, a little, school's really hard, my grades are dropping a lot." Matt kind of has this learning disability. "But Tom says The Sharing would help. He says it's great. It sounds to good to be true."   
  
Little did we know how right he was.   
  
"So, Matt, lemme go with you." I said going back to the annoying little sister I was, "I mean, if it's so great maybe I should go too. Sounds like a lot of fun. Besides, I can keep an eye out on you." "Oh no, no, no, no! Not this time Madeline! No."   
  
"Why not?" I whined, "I won't 'cause any trouble!"   
  
"Yeah, I'm sure you would never, ever, grab an opportunity to embarrass me." Said Matt sarcastically.   
  
"Yeah, I wouldn't," I agreed.   
  
"Matt, Madeline? What are you two arguing about now?" my mom called as she headed up the stairs.   
  
I shot Matt this grin. He shot me the evil eye.   
  
"Well? I'm waiting, kids," Mom said.   
  
"Matt's not going to let me go to a party with him and Tom." I said innocently putting on my sad puppy-dog act. Hehe, I was so good at this. "And it's not like some kind of a party with their friends. Anyone can come, even you!"   
  
As soon as I said that I regretted it.   
  
"Well, then, maybe I should come to see how great this party is," Mom said. Then, taking a look at the horror on our faces she said, "Just joking, sheesh!"   
  
"Oh," Matt said   
  
"Matt, I'm ashamed of you, not letting Madeline come along with you and your friend. If anyone can go, then why can't Madeline go too? It's not like she'll embarrass you or anything." Mom said while i was grinning at Matt, "Madeline, sweetie, you can go to Matt's party, okay?"   
  
I nodded happily.   
  
"Okay, Matt?"   
  
"Okay, Mom," Matt said defeated. Mom walked away.   
  
I stood with this dopey smile for Matt.   
  
"Oh, shut up." Matt said, "Listen, you stay as far away from me as possible, got that? I don't want you near me, understand?"   
  
"Yeah, I know," I told him.   
  
"Good," Matt replied, then walked in his room as closed the door shut.   
  
I was still smiling. I loved annoying Matt. I knew I had won. And I was just plain happy about it. And I was happy about going to The Sharing too, I guess. It sounded like fun. But that Saturday changed my life in ways I could never have imagined.  
  
For better, or for worse. 

* * *

**Chapter 5 (Jake)**  
  
My name is Jake.   
  
My best friend's name is Marco.   
  
Marco's girlfriend's name is Madeline.   
  
And Madeline was gonna go to The Sharing.   
  
The same Sharing where us Animorphs were going to spy on Saturday. Things were definitely not going as planned. And our little trip hadn't even started yet.   
  
Matt, Madeline's brother was my brother Tom's friend. And Tom as a Controller. He somehow convinced Matt and Madeline to go to a party of The Sharing.   
  
I swear one day I'll kill that Yeerk in his head.   
  
But first things first, and Madeline was first. Well, to Marco anyway.   
  
"Now where gonna have to, I mean _have_ to spy on Madeline too." Marco told us, "There is absolutely _no_ way I'm gonna lose her to the Yeerks. They already have my mom, they can't have Madeline too. I don't think I'll stand losing two people I love, er _like_ to the Yeerks.   
  
_Love_? Did I hear Marco say _love_?   
  
"Don't be ridiculous, Marco." I said, "Of course we won't lose Madeline to the Yeerks!"   
  
"So we spy on her too?" Marco asked hopefully.   
  
"Yeah, Marco, but I don't think that helps," Rachel added.   
  
"Helps what?" a voice said behind me.   
  
"Madeline!" Marco cried, "Um . . . adding water to ice cream . . . to, uh . . . make it softer!"   
  
"Uh-huh," Madeline said, "yeah, I'm sure that'll make it softer, it'll just melt!" Marco walked over to her and gave her a little kiss on the forehead. I don't see how he just does that, he doesn't even look that embarrassed at all. I could never do that with Cassie.   
  
Cassie gave me a glance and I could see she was thinking the same thing.   
  
When Marco first started dating Madeline I didn't know what would happen. Marco was an Animorph. Madeline was a normal girl, Marco must have felt terrible lying to her all the time. But then he must really like her to stay with her, living two lives, I guess maybe Madeline's helped without even knowing.   
  
"So, Marco, you wanna come to The Sharing with me this Saturday?" Madeline asked, "Wait! I have an idea! Jake, Cassie, and Rachel, you guys can come too! And Jake and Rachel, you guys can bring your cousin Phillip, even if he's a little weird. Phillip's still in town, right?"   
  
I could barely hold a smile. Phillip is Ax in human morph. And when Ax is in human morph he has a tendency to play with mouth sounds. And taste amazes him too. Andalites don't have mouths.   
  
"That would be great, Madeline," Marco said, "but I already made plans with Jake to go fishing this Saturday. Sorry, maybe some other time."   
  
Madeline didn't ask for Rachel and Cassie to come and they didn't ask Madeline either. We all knew Madeline just wanted Marco to go with her, plus Rachel and Cassie has other plans. _"We're gonna be spying on Yeerks and you Madeline,"_ I thought silently.   
  
"Well, okay, I'll catch you guys later!" Madeline said trying to sound cheerful, but obviously disappointed.   
  
"Yeah, don't forget 8:00 tonight!" Marco called after her.   
  
"I won't!" Madeline called back.   
  
"Ooooh! You got a date tonight, Marco?" Rachel teased.   
  
"Yup!" Marco said happily, then changed to a serious tone, "And I wanna keep it that way for more nights to come."   
  
"Don't worry Marco, we will not lose Madeline to the Yeerks." Cassie said trying her best to assure him. But I knew she was doubtful. But Cassie was right after all. 

* * *

**Chapter 6 (Madeline)**  
  
I thought back to yesterday. Then I lay down on my pillow and cried as I replayed the event over and over in my head.   
  
'Cause when I was at the movies with Marco last night he seemed upset. When I asked him why he said nothing. Then he finally confessed it was 'cause I was going to The Sharing. Then I got upset, I immediately assumed he was jealous of some other guys there.   
  
_"What's the matter? Don't you trust me?" I asked him.   
  
"Of course I trust you, Madeline! It's just that . . ."   
  
"Just that what?! Just that I've seen you look at that one guy? And I know you're going to meet him there? And I know what you're up to?!" I demanded outraged, "God, Marco! I can't believe you! I can't believe you'd even think that! I don't believe you don't trust me to go to some party without you! What is it with you?! I thought we had established a trust bond! Aren't all relationships based on trust?! What's wrong with you?!"   
  
Marco then said a word I won't repeat and yelled "No, Madeline! That's not what I was thinking! That's not what I was gonna say! You just assumed that, but you're wrong! You hear me?! YOU ARE WRONG!"   
  
I normally would of been so upset that he yelled at me but not this time, I was too mad. "If that wasn't what you were thinking then what was? Huh?! Tell me, Marco. What. Were. You. THINKING?!"  
  
Silence from him. Perhaps a little sobbing, I don't know, and I didn't care right then.   
  
"Ha! That's what I thought! That's just exac-"   
  
"God, Madeline what is it with you? I'd tell you why, I wish I could, but I can't! I just can't . . ."   
  
"Because I'm right, right? Admit it, Marco, I'm right!"   
  
Marco suddenly lost it. "No Madeline you are not right! No! No! NO! You hear me?! YOU ARE WRONG!!   
  
_Then at that point were got kicked out of the movie theater. Marco and I said nothing to each other since. I guess you can say we were in a fight.   
  
I cried on my pillow some more.   
  
"Madeline, get ready! Tom just called! He's picking us up in 5 minutes for the party!" Matt yelled from downstairs.   
  
That snapped me back to my attention.   
  
"Okay!" I yelled back.   
  
Get ready. What was that supposed to mean? Did Matt think I was gonna meet some new guys too? "Don't be ridiculous, Madeline," I said to myself. I was still upset about Marco. I wasn't gonna let that ruin a fun time at the party.   
  
I walked down the stairs to find Matt waiting.   
  
"Have you been crying, Madeline?" Matt asked.   
  
"Yeah, a little," I told him, "But-"   
  
DING DONG!   
  
"That'll be Tom, Let's go!" Matt said.   
  
I followed him and we climbed in a van with Tom and his friends on the way to The Sharing.   
  
"Have you been crying, Madeline?" Tom observed asking the same question Matt has asked.   
  
"Yeah," I responded.   
  
Someone turned around and said to me, "Well, don't worry. The Sharing will fix whatever's bothering you, it's a great place, I'm sure you'll like it."   
  
SCREECH!   
  
The van pulled up and we were there. There. At The Sharing. 

* * *

**Chapter 7 (Tobias)**  
  
My name is Tobias.   
  
I'm a hawk. A red-tail hawk, to be exact. I will always be a hawk. I don't even remember what I used to look like. I used to be a human, just like you. But that was then before I got in this war, before I learned about the Yeerks.   
  
And now, if we didn't act fast, Madeline would be in deep doo-doo.   
  
I already saw the van pull up at The Sharing and they were getting out now. Tom, Matt, and Madeline.   
  
There they are, I see them! Jake said not too far away. He was in peregrine falcon morph.   
  
Ax was in harrier morph, Rachel as a bald eagle, and Marco and Cassie as osprey. We had planned to go as seagulls, but the whole Madeline business had changed our plans.   
  
Madeline was being greeted by a bunch of people at The Sharing. I saw Melissa with her.   
  
"Hi! Glad you could come, Madeline! It's really cool here, you'll like it. Is Marco with you?" I heard Melissa ask with my excellent hawk hearing.   
  
"No, we had a fight," Madeline responded. "I guess I had thought he thought that I . . .I -" Then Madeline started crying, Melissa put her arms around her.   
  
Oh my God! Marco cried. Oh my God, what have I done to her? I've never seen her this upset. No!   
  
Marco, it's okay! Take it easy! Girls tend to take things harder than guys do, Rachel tried reassuring him.   
  
No. No, this isn't just some regular girl. I mean, she got upset after I told her I didn't want her going to The Sharing. She thought I couldn't trust her. I can't do this anymore, you guys! I'm lying to her all the time! I swear I was just about to tell her right then and there what I really was. What was going on, but I couldn't. And now look what it's done to her! I can't do this!   
  
This was not good. Marco's always trying to make stupid jokes right before suicide missions. He can't lose it here.   
  
Uh-oh, I said. I didn't mean to say it out loud but I guess I did.   
  
It's okay, Tobias, Marco told me. I'm not losing it. I mean two impossible missions in one day! What more could I want? Silence. Then a faint sob. We were in trouble.   
  
Um . . . Tobias? Rachel said privately to me. I . . . I'm . . . nevermind.   
  
Great. Now Rachel was getting scared. This was not good.   
  
Look! I believe those are the rebellion Yeerks! Ax said.   
  
And he was right. There was a bunch of Controllers together planning something. I believe I saw several cherry bombs. I almost laughed, I mean with all the high Yeerk technology why would they use cherry bombs?   
  
Are those cherry bombs I see? No way, that's not possible, Cassie commented.   
  
Lets go! Jake instructed. We fly down. Morph at a safe place and talk to these Controllers.   
  
No! Uh-uh, Jake! I'm gonna keep an eye out on Madeline, I'm not letting her out of my site. I don't wanna lose her. protested Marco, and with that he flew away.   
  
No, Marco! Come back here! Jake started to say. But Cassie interupted.   
  
Let him go, Jake. He needs to do this. He already lost his mom. We can find him later, just let him go find her, don't try and stop him. This is something that means a lot to him, Cassie said. And of course Jake listened. Cassie knows more about animals and humans then any of us.   
  
Then I should go too, I said. I gotta keep an eye out on him to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.   
  
Go, Jake said. I off I went.   
  
I was wrong to think Marco wouldn't do anything stupid. 

* * *

**Chapter 8 (Marco)**  
  
I flew off from Jake. From the others. I didn't really care about them then. All I cared about was Madeline, and not losing her to the Yeerks. If Jake thought helping some rebellion Yeerks were more important than saving Madeline, I was gonna show him how wrong he was. Madeline was more important than anything I cared about.   
  
There she was. Her eyes were still a little red from crying. But she was smiling again. God, I loved that smile.   
  
My morph time was almost up. I found a safe spot. Demorphed and started to remorph again when I heard I some cherry bombs go off.   
  
Screams. Then I heard I tiger roar. Jake, definitely Jake. I guess the rebellion Yeerks had struck and the other Animorphs were helping them.   
  
I demorphed as fast as I possibly could.   
  
"Andalite!" I heard someone scream, Then I heard something much, much, much more dangerous than any cherry bomb. I saw it too. A red flash of light like an explosion was right in front of my eyes. Dracon beam! The Yeerks were using dragon beams around regular people. I guess they won't be so regular soon.   
  
"Ouch! I've been hit by that thing! AHHHHH!" A very familiar voice said. It was Madeline, no!   
  
Madeline was sprawled on the ground. Melissa was gone, I guess she left to get a drink or something. Madeline was clutching the top of her leg. She was bleeding bad. Oh God, she was gonna die from loss of blood!   
  
I looked around some more. Just to make sure Melissa or anyone else wasn't there. I thought I saw no one. I wasn't looking for animals, just humans or aliens. As soon as I was sure no one was around, I got something. A device that I had hidden there. The other Animorphs didn't know that hid it there. They thought it was still with Cassie, but that wasn't true. I stole it from Cassie and hid it here. Then I did the thing that endangered us all.   
  
I kneeled down beside Madeline.   
  
"Marco!" she screamed. "What are you doing here, Marco?!" I knew it! I knew you didn't trus –"   
  
"Shut up, Madeline!" I ordered her. "Just shut up and listen to me. You're dying. You can morph and become animals. Trust me, I know this sounds crazy and hard to absorb all at once but it's true. You can do it. I don't have time to explain it all now but just trust me. You HAVE to trust me now."   
  
"What? Marco, you've lost it! You've lost it!"   
  
"Just shut up and listen to me!" I demanded. I got out the morphing cube we used to give David and Aftran the power to morph. "Touch this cube. Do it. Concentrate on it. Absorb the power. The power to morph."   
  
Now Madeline probably going crazy. I would if I were her. I mean all of a sudden she gets shot by some unknown substance and she's dying. Then her boyfriend that she got in a huge fight with the night before comes up and tells her she can morph. I mean, who'd believe that?   
  
But Madeline was smart too. I mean, look at her choices. Do what I say or die. She probably thought she was gonna die anyway, but she listened to me. She put her hand on the box and absorbed the power.   
  
NO, no! Marco,I heard Tobias say in thought speak. But it was too late.   
  
Madeline had the power now. She could morph.   
  
Right then it hit me what I had done. But there was no turning back now. I had given some girl I hadn't really known that long the power to morph. The strongest power known.   
  
I had no time to think about it. Madeline was dying. She would have to morph.   
  
Here you go, Marco. This'll help. Tobias dropped a rat next to me. Not the best choice but I was desperate. And I had to thank Tobias. I don't know what I would've done then.   
  
"Touch the rat. Focus on it. Absorb it's DNA, acquire it." I instructed Madeline.   
  
Now she looked like this whole thing was probably just a dream. But luckily she isn't those girls who hates rats. She acquired the rat and I watched it go limp.   
  
"Now focus on becoming it. Focus on it's fur, it's whiskers. Become the rat."   
  
Madeline did as I told. She was morphing. And it wasn't pretty. I started to morph myself. Back to osprey.   
  
Oh man! Jake is gonna just _kill_ us for this! Tobias cried, not exactly reassuring.   
  
Tobias, I said as soon as I got the ability to thought-speak. Thanks, just thanks.   
  
No problem, Marco. You did what you had to do, Tobias said making me feel better.   
  
I picked Madeline up as soon as I was fully morphed. It's okay, Madeline! It's just me, Marco.   
  
Marco? Madeline said wearily. Can you hear me? Where are we going? What's going on? Am I really a rat?   
  
Yeah, I can hear you. And you are a rat. I'll explain later. But right now, we are outta here!   
  
Good. I really didn't like that place. Wake me up when it's over, okay?   
  
Sure, Madeline. If you really want me to.   
  
All I heard after that was Tobias laughing a little uneasily in my head. We were gonna have some explaining to do. 

* * *

**Chapter 9 (Cassie)**  
  
I jumped on a Hork-Bajir.   
  
I got a good grip on his arm, careful not to go near his arm blade. I just clung there with all my strength. I sank my jaws into him deep, really deep.   
  
"HHHRRROOOWWW!" the Hork-Bajir cried in pain. But I still wouldn't let him go. He fiddled with his dragon beam. But at last with his arm too weak, the dracon beam crashed to the floor. I leaped off him and grabbed the dracon beam in my jaws.   
  
Dracon beams. That was one thing the Controllers had that we didn't. We being us Animorphs, Ax, and the rebellion Yeerks. Yes, there were helping but all they had were cherry bombs which were pathetic compared to dragon beams. Most of the rebellions were captured, it looked like we would probably lose this battle.   
  
Cassie! Give me the dracon beam! Ax cried.   
  
I ran over to Ax and he took it from me.   
  
Ax was the only one who could use the dracon beam. As his Andalite self he had hands. If Marco was here in his gorilla morph he could of done it so much better. But he was helping Madeline. And Tobias was with him. We sure could've used Tobias's eyes and Marco's firepower right now.   
  
I wondered how Marco was doing. I wondered what he had done. Was he okay? Was Tobias and Madeline okay too? Where were they right now? I wondered why I had let him go, what did I think he was going to do? _He needs to do this._ I had told the others. Do what?   
  
"AAHHH! The Andalite has a dracon beam!" one of the Controllers yelled.   
  
Prince Jake, should I use it? Ax asked Jake.   
  
Yes, Ax! Use it! Now! But be careful not to hit the Yeerks from the Peace Movement! said Jake. Jake was in tiger morph.   
  
Yes, Prince Jake, Ax said. Then he started firing. Man he could fire!   
  
"Let's get out of here! That's a crazy Andalite!" a Controller cried.   
  
"Oh man! The Visser will have our heads!" another one yelled.   
  
Ax fired again.   
  
"AHHH! Okay, let's go, let's go! But take these traitors with you! And let's hope that'll be enough for the Visser!"   
  
Oh no you're not! Rachel as a grizzly bear said. Go ahead and run but you're not taking those rebellions with you. Jake, let me go after them!   
  
Okay, Rachel and Ax, see what you can do. Me and Cassie will try and to save the rebellions.   
  
And with that I started running after the Controllers. Rachel took one down. I started to run away with one of the rebellions.   
  
"NOOO!" cried the Controller and fired his dragon beam.   
  
AAHHH! I've been shot! I cried. I was losing blood.   
  
Cassie! called Jake.   
  
Ouch! No! I have too!   
  
No! Not you too, Rachel! Cassie, Rachel, listen to me. Demorph. Do it NOW! Jake ordered.   
  
I started to demorph. But I could barely hear him. I was blacking out, going faint. Voices around me. Meaningness. They meant nothing.   
  
Cassie! Listen to me! DEMORPH! You're dying! DEMORPH! DO IT!   
  
More voices. Then darkness.   
  
And light again!   
  
I blinked. I touched my face, my arms, my head. I was human! I had done it! I demorphed!   
  
Jake, Rachel, and Ax were all standing over me.   
  
I took Jake's hand.   
  
"Are you okay, Cassie?" asked Jake.   
  
"Yeah, I'm fine now." I squeezed his hand. Then I let go. "So what happened?"   
  
Rachel and I had tried to stop the Controllers. Ax explained. But then you and Rachel got shot by the dracon beam. The Yeerks got away and the rebellions with them.   
  
"No." I whispered. "No, they're gone? They got them? No! Think of what Visser Three will do to them! And it's all our fault too!" I cried.   
  
"We tried our best, Cassie. They got away," Jake said.   
  
"No we didn't," Rachel said darkly.   
  
"What? Of course we did! What do you mean? What do you mean 'No we didn't'?" Jake demanded.   
  
"If Marco and Tobias was there . . ." Rachel began and then let it hang.   
  
None of us said anything.   
  
Then "I hope they made it." Rachel whispered. "I wonder if they knew about us. I wonder if Madeline made it. She meant a lot to Marco, ya know? She's really changed him a lot."   
"Yeah," I said. "She has, hasn't she? Well, I think they did okay." "Me too," said Jake.   
  
Me three. said Ax and we all burst out laughing.   
  
Once again I wondered if Ax had began to develop a sense of humor. 

* * *

**Chapter 10 (Tobias)**  
  
I still couldn't believe what Marco had done!   
  
He gave her the power to morph! Madeline had the power! I just hoped she wouldn't be like David.   
  
I tried stopping him, but when I got there it was too late. I took one look at that cube and I knew what it was, but I couldn't stop Marco. I hadn't gotten there in time.   
  
I thought back to what Cassie had told us when Marco went off and Jake tried to stop him.   
  
_Let him go, Jake. He needs to do this. He already lost his mom. We can find him later, just let him go find her, don't try and stop him. This is something that means a lot to him._   
  
I wondered what she had meant. Did she know what Marco would do? Why had she let him go?   
  
Tobias, I think those are your meadow's right there. Marco said to me.   
  
Of course. We'd go to my meadow. The territory where I lived.   
  
Okay, let's land. Then you guys can demorph, I think you've been in for about 15 minutes. I told him.   
  
Madeline? Listen to me, okay? Marco said. We're going to land now. And you're going to demorph, go back to human. I want you to focus back to yourself as a human just like you became a rat, okay?   
  
Sure. replied Madeline.   
  
My heart had skipped a beat.   
  
Madeline. She was going to demorph. When Marco gave her the power she was injured. So would she be injured when she demorphed? Why hadn't I thought of that earlier?   
  
But I didn't say anything. I had hoped it wasn't true.   
  
We landed and Madeline started to demorph. Marco stayed as an osprey, I wondered why. Maybe he had guess as I did.   
  
She started to remorph.  
  
Uh oh. Me and Marco forgot something. She couldn't morph clothes! And Rachel and Cassie weren't here to help!  
  
Marco! Turn around now! She can't morph clothes!  
  
Marco and I turned around at the same time.   
  
"AAHHHH!" cried Madeline.  
  
We turned back to face her. Thank goodness this morph happened right and her leg morphed first. But It wasn't good.  
  
Her leg was still injured! As she morphed more, more blood came out!   
  
NOO! screamed Marco. Okay, Madeline listen to me! REMORPH! I'll explain, remorph!   
  
"Ouch!" cried Madeline. "I'm so tired, I can't!"   
  
Please! Do it, Madeline, just once more again, please? Marco pleaded   
  
Madeline started to remorph.   
  
Okay, Tobias? This is what we'll do. Marco said privately to me. We're gonna take her to the hospital. We'll demorph and you go find some clothes for her. Don't make them brand new though. Then you'll have to morph to human out of sight. Then we'll carry her inside the hospital and hope they can take care of it.   
  
Okay, Marco, I said If you really think so. But I have a two hour limit. And Madeline does too in rat morph. It's gonna take a while finding those clothes   
  
Yeah I know. Do your best, Tobias, Marco said just as Madeline finished remorphing. Then Marco picked her up carefully in his talons and we flew off to the hospital silently.   
  
This was getting more and more out of control by the second.   
  
I was beginning to wonder if we would even make it. 

* * *

**Chapter 11 (Rachel)**  
  
My name is Rachel.  
  
Jake is my cousin. And he was getting _very_ worried. But so were we all.  
  
Marco and Tobias should have been back by now! It's been 45 minutes!  
  
"Okay, let's examine the possibilities. What could have happened. Where could they have gone?" Cassie said trying to sound calm but I could tell she was panicking.  
  
"There's no way they could of been captured," Jake said.  
  
"Yeah, rule that one out," Cassie agreed and so did us all.  
  
"If the were captured we'd all be Controllers right now," I told them. We were in Cassie's barn. It's also the rehabilition clinic where all the injured animals were kept. Usually Ax doesn't come to these meetings but he did today. It was an emergency.  
  
"Maybe they got lost," Cassie suggested.   
  
"No," said Jake. "They could of morphed birds. Tobias knows this place all too well, they could of found a way back."  
  
"Prince Jake is right. Right. Tuh, Ri tah," Ax said, he was in human morph and playing with mouth sounds as usual.   
  
"Ax don't call me 'Prince'."   
  
"Yes, Prince Jake."   
  
That silly little game they play. But I had no time for games now.   
  
"Quit it, you guys! Tobias is gone! Something bad could have happened! We need to find out what so we can help him!" I shouted.  
  
"Ya know, Rachel, Marco's gone too," Cassie reminded me.   
  
"Oh, right, Marco." I said really embarrassed.   
  
"Anyway, let's get down to business. Rachel's right. Something bad probably did happen. So we need to find out what. We need to go back to The Sharing. See if their there and what happened," said Jake taking action.   
  
"But what if they're not there?" Cassie asked.   
  
"Then we'll search the possibilities and go where they might have gone. But let's not worry about that until later."   
  
"Worry, that's all I ever do is worry." I muttered under my breath.   
  
"What morph?" I asked.   
  
"Birds," said Jake. "Seagulls."  
  
"Okay," I said. I wasted no time. I immediately stripped down to my morphing suit. Then I focused on seagull. I could feel the changed began. The first thing I felt was the shrinking. All of a sudden, the ground came rushing up at me. I felt the cages of the animals rise higher as a became smaller. My lips hardened and sprouted outward, forming a beak. Little patterns began forming on my skin. All of a sudden, the patterns became 3D and formed feathers. My toes formed into talons and my arms melted into wings. The shrinking stopped. I was done.  
  
I spread my wings just as Cassie finished morphing. Then we waited for the others. I was very impatient. And I had to fight off the urge to down some candy that Cassie's dad left on the ground.  
  
Ready? Jake asked us.   
  
Been ready, I said. Let's do it! 

* * *

**Chapter 12 (Rachel)**  
  
We searched Tobias's meadows first. They weren't there.   
  
Tobias? Marco? Tobias! Yo, Tobias! Are you there?! I called one last time as loud as thought-speak would allow me.   
  
No answer.  
  
Let's check near Marco's house. Fly around the school some. said Cassie.   
  
Wait, first let's - Jake began turning one way, but he was too far away for us to hear.   
  
We checked Marco's house. Marco!!! Are you there? Marco? Tobias? Where are you guy?   
  
Jake caught up.   
  
Guys, listen. What I've been trying to say was that we should check near the beach. Isn't that where we last saw them? he said.   
  
I could of slapped myself on the forehead if I still had one.   
  
Oh, DUH! I cried taking off.   
  
That's what I was just about to suggest! Cassie said.   
  
Yeah, right. Jake remarked.   
  
Was that the human sense of humor called sarcasm? Ax asked.   
  
No, Ax-man. It wasn't I told him.   
  
Was that sarcasm again?   
  
Ye - I started. When I suddenly spotted something. AHH!  
  
What is it, Rachel? Cassie said quickly.   
  
Sorry, I apologized. But I was staring at something else. It was a red-tail hawk. Flying toward as to the left. Tobias? TOBIAS?! Is that you, Tobias?   
  
Wha-? Rachel? Jake, Cassie, Ax? replied the hawk.   
  
TOBIAS! Where have you been?   
  
That's when I noticed some brightly colored cloth in his talons. I was about to ask him what it was, when Cassie beat me to it.  
  
Tobias, what are you doing with those clothes? And where are you headed? Where are you going? she questioned him.   
  
Oh, um . . . he started to answer. But Jake saved him . . . sort of.   
  
Look down! Is that Marco?   
  
I looked down. Sure enough, it was Marco. And there was someone with her.  
  
Oh my, God! Is that Madeline with him? Cassie cried shocked.   
  
I focused my sharp eyes on the girl, trying hard not to be pulled away by a fast food restaurant nearby. Whoa! That _is_ Madeline! What's she doing? Whoa! Look at her leg! It's badly damaged!   
  
She got hit by a dracon beam, said Tobias. Then he flew down and dropped the clothes accurately near Marco. Marco looked up at him gratefully as he landed, then he spotted us and frowned.   
  
Hey, Marco! I called at him. He looked at Tobias. Tobias seemed to say something to him in thought-speak. He looked a bit relieved.   
  
We landed beside them.   
  
Tobias had finished morphing and he and Marco carried Madeline inside and told us to wait here.   
  
I believe I do not have a complete understanding of what is happening. Ax stated a matter of factly.   
  
Welcome to the club. I told him. 

* * *

**Chapter 13 (Marco)**  
  
We carried her into the hospital. I had a hold of the bottom half of her. Taking care not to hurt her legs. But her blood was dripping all over me.   
  
We finally reached the inside of the hospital. The secretary looked over at us. Taking one glance at Madeline and the blood dripping and soaking into my shirt, she said "I'll have a doctor with you immediately!" 

* * *

"Marco? Oh my, God! Look at you! Is that Madeline's blood stains?" I spun around surprised. It was Maria, Madeline's mother. Followed by Matt and Mac, her dad.   
  
I hospital had given me a towel to wipe off all the blood, but that hadn't helped my shirt much.   
  
"Yes," I said quietly.   
  
"What happened?" Asked Matt. "I don't know anything. All I know is all off a sudden I heard all these load noises. I asked Tom what it was, but he started taking off. I started running after him, but somebody grabbed me and stuck me into a bus home. And Madeline wasn't on it."   
  
"Some people set some cherry bombs off," I said, telling only part of the real truth.   
  
"Cherry bombs? How could _that_ have hurt her? Was she really that close?   
  
"Yes, she must've been. Our tests shows that it was cherry bombs," a new voice said. It was the doctor. I started into his eyes. He gave me a weird look. I turned away.   
  
_Liar,_ I thought. _Controller. You know they weren't cherry bombs_. 

* * *

"She's going to be all right. She should stay here for a couple of days. Then she should be able to go home. She has a cast on even though she doesn't have any broken bones. We should have her back in a week!"   
  
That brightened my moods up a little. "Can I see her?" I asked.   
  
"Sure come on in! But only one visitor at a time."   
  
I looked over at her family. "Go on, Marco. You go first," said her mom. I followed the nurse. 

* * *

I slipped her hand into mine and held it. She opened her eyes and looked at me.   
  
"Hi, Marco," she whispered.   
  
"Shhhhh. It's gonna be okay. I promise."   
  
She just smiled and closed her eyes once again.   
  
I stood up and walked out of the room. Out of the hospital. Outside, where Jake, Cassie, Rachel, Ax in human morph, and Tobias also in human morph who had gone out to join them, were waiting for me.   
  
"Seagulls." Jake commanded. I obeyed.   
  
We all morphed into seagulls and flew to Cassie's barn. There, we all demorphed. Ax wanted to go, but Tobias said he'd better stay. Cassie said her dad wouldn't be back any time soon anyway. That was good. As soon as we had all demorphed, we took our places in that barn. Jake looked me over, and then said one, simple, word.  
  
"Explain." 

* * *

**Chapter 14 (Jake)**  
  
I was shocked. I was furious. I was surprised. I was mad. In a way, I guess, I was even relieved.   
  
Marco explained all right. He explained everything in a detailed, un-Marco-like way.   
  
"But you still should never have given her the power!" I protested! "There were many other ways! Look where it's gotten you! No good!   
  
"But I wasn't thinking straight!" He shot back.   
  
"You got that right," I muttered.   
  
Cassie stood up and looked straight into my eyes.   
  
"Jake," she started quietly. "If it were you and me. And I was never an Animorph. And it were the same situation. What would you have done?"   
  
Oh, man. She had me right on the spot. "I . . . I guess I would have done the same," I said.   
  
Marco smiled.   
  
"But that still doesn't make it right!" I told him. "It still would have been wrong!"   
  
"Yeah, I know, Jake. What I did was wrong."   
  
I looked up at Tobias perched in the rafters. I saw him shift uncomfortably. I tried stopping him. But I got there too late.   
  
"It's not Tobias's fault!" Rachel and Marco shot at me the same time, Rachel, a little more fiercer.   
  
"Hey, hey! I never said it was! I didn't even say anything!" I backed away protesting.   
  
"Sorry," said Rachel embarrassed.  
  
"Jake, I need you to forgive me. Please. I'm sorry. I know I should't of done it. I'm sorry," said Marco.   
  
This Madeline girl, said Ax. I've observed her. She does not seem to resemble David. She has a kind heart. She is good, not evil. She will do good against the war.   
  
I looked at Ax stunned. "So you're saying that it was good she got the power?" I asked Ax.   
  
Well, he hesitated. I think she would of gotten it eventually. But I'm with whatever you think, Prince Jake.  
  
"Marco . . . I . . okay."   
  
"Okay what, Jake?"   
  
"Okay, I forgive you. When she gonna be back from the hospital?"   
  
Marco's grin was wider than I had ever seen it. He actually gave he a quick, manly, hug. Then said "In a couple days."   
  
"Okay . . . now that this is done. We all should get some rest. I'm pooped."   
  
Marco looked at her with pure disbelief. "No! Xena The Warrior Princess is "pooped"?   
  
Rachel laughed. "Shut up, Marco," she said. Then headed out the door. I'm going home, bye!"   
  
Then Tobias and Ax went with Marco, leaving me and Cassie the only ones left.   
  
"Ahem," Cassie coughed. Then she took my hand as we walked out staring out at the sun just starting to set. "Wild day, eh?" she asked.   
  
I turned to face her, staring into her eyes. I didn't say anything, but she could read my mind. _Yes._ She closed her eyes as I slipped my hands around her waist. Then I leaned forward along with her, and our lips met. I felt her arms go around me. I don't know how long we were in that position, but when it was finally over, I stared deep into her eyes. "Very, very, wild day." I whispered as she smiled. 

* * *

**Chapter 15 (Madeline)**  
  
My parents had picked me up, and now we were driving home. Me and Matt in the back seat.   
  
I still had my leg in a cast, even though I had no broken bones. The doctor said it would help me heal.   
  
I could still not believe what I had done. I morphed. I was a rat. Marco wasn't crazy, he was telling the truth. _Of course he told the truth! He wouldn't lie to you!_ I said. But wait, no. That couldn't of been true. He must of lied to me several times if this was the truth. _The truth_. I shuddered. Aliens. Slugs. The truth. That must have been what he couldn't tell me that night before I went to The Sharing. But why? I had to get some info from him.   
  
I looked over at Matt. He grinned.   
  
"Hey! I never wanted you to come in the first place!" he said.   
  
WHAT? I had almost been killed! And now he was using this opportunity to get back at me? "MATT! YOU JERK!!! YOU BIG, FAT, JERK!!!" I shrieked as I slapped him.   
  
"Aw, is that the best you can do?" he teased while rubbing his shoulder.   
  
I was furious. "ARGHHHHH!"   
  
"Madeline! Matt! Stop the bickering! Both of you!" my mom ordered.   
  
I had calmed down. A little. I knew he didn't mean it, and I shouldn't take what he said seriously. But still . . .   
  
The car stopped and we were home. I climbed out of the car.   
  
"MADELINE!" I heard someone yell at me. I spun around. It was Marco followed by Jake, Rachel, and Cassie, some people from school.   
  
They reached me. "Here, these are for you," Marco said and thrust some flowers into my hands. They were kinda crumpled and looked vaguely familiar. "Okay, okay! So I picked them out of your neighbor's yard, and waited for you for about an hour. So they kind of deteriorated." He said sheepishly.   
  
"Mar-co," I said rolling my eyes in an exasperated way but smiling all the same.   
  
"Madeline," he said lowering his voice. This is Jake, Rachel, and Cassie. They are the others. The other Animorphs. The ones that fight with us. Also, Tobias, the hawk from that other day.   
  
I didn't have much time to think that over. "Madeline!" my mom called. "It's dinner! You're friends can eat with us!"   
  
"Um . . . that's all right. Look, Madeline, we'll meet you over by the park in an hour? Then we'll walk to Cassie's barn? Or, rather fly, or whatever. You know?" Marco asked.   
  
"Sure," I replied. "I'll see ya."   
  
"Okay," said Marco "see ya." Then he gave me a hug, and walked off with the other "Animorphs". _Animorphs_. "Animorphs," I said, testing out the word. I liked it. "Cool name." And now I was one too. An Animorph. 

* * *

**Chapter 16 (Cassie)**  
  
We where all at my barn. All of the Animorphs. Including our new member, Madeline. And we were telling Madeline everything we knew about the Yeerk invasion. And all of our adventures. She had a good laugh over that time Visser Three turned purple with grape juice.   
  
I still could hardly believe this. It was practically impossible. But it was true. We have a new person to help us fight.   
  
"This Ellimist guy sounds really cool. Will I ever get to meet him?" she asked.   
  
"Oh, trust me. You definitely will. Man, that dude's really annoying," Marco told her and she laughed.   
  
"Sooooo . . . when's my first big adventure?" Madeline questioned.   
  
"Hopefully never," Jake replied. "But probably very soon. We never go to long without any Yeerk activity."   
  
"But first, why don't you actually do some real morphing?" I suggested. "I mean, the rat isn't really enough, and you were in a hurry, not really much time to experience stuff, learn to get control of the morph, and that stuff."   
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean, when I was a rat, I forgot about the human in me. It was like I was a rat and only a rat. Man, when Marco picked me up, I was going to have a heart attack!"   
  
"Yeah, that happens really often that you lose control of the morph, especially the first. But after a while, you learn to control the animal. The senses." I told her.   
  
"Cassie, what birds do you have?" Jake asked me. "I want her to have a bird morph. Bird of prey, like us. She needs that, it's priority. And then we have to get her a dolphin morph, another underwater morph, a fighting morph, an insect morph, and a lot of other morphs."   
  
Madeline just looked completely overwhelmed. We just all laughed.   
  
"Well, you're lucky. We've got only one injured bird, and it happens to be a bird of prey," I said as I walked to the cage. I present to you . . . the golden eagle!"   
  
Groans.   
  
"Oh, man. Not what David had!" said Marco.   
  
"Oh, yeah. David, that dude." Madeline answered.   
  
"Sorry, that's all I have." I apologized.   
  
"That's alright, Cassie. We'll take it," said Jake.   
  
And so we stood by and offered Madeline tips and helped her as she went through her 2nd morph.   
  
We had a new Animorph. And I trusted her. Not like David. Ax was right. Now we had a new sidekick in helping the invasion. Who knows? Maybe there would be more. And then more and more, and the invasion wouldn't be a secret any longer.   
  
  
**The End**


End file.
